Polymer beads can be prepared by suspension polymerization by dispersing an organic monomer phase as droplets in a vessel equipped with an agitator and an aqueous phase in which the monomer and resulting polymer are essentially insoluble. The dispersed monomer droplets are subsequently polymerized under continuous agitation (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,728,318; 2,694,700; and 3,862,924). Polymer beads are also manufactured by “jetting” liquid organic monomer mixtures through capillary openings into an aqueous phase. The suspended monomer droplets are then transported to a reactor where polymerization occurs, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,444,961; 4,666,673; and 4,623,706.
The conventional methods described above often produce bead products exhibiting large particle size distributions, primarily due to problems of coalescence of the suspended monomer droplets. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method for preparing uniform dispersed polymer beads whereby the deficiencies associated with conventional methods can be avoided.